The 10 Best Texting Apps for Receiving Verification Codes on Android (2024)

TextNow

TextNow is one of the more popular texting apps, with over 100 million users. It offers two services: one replaces your existing mobile provider (you're given a SIM card), and the other is a second phone number for calls and texts. The second option is what you want because that's all you need to do to start receiving verification codes.

Your new phone number can be in your local area code, or pick a different one. Signing up is easy because you can use your existing Google or Facebook account.

The app lets you choose a wallpaper for conversations, turn on timestamps, set a passcode, export conversations, set a ringtone for each recipient, and add a shortcut to a conversation on the home screen. Since phone calls are supported, too, you can set your own voicemail if you wish to receive calls in addition to texts.

It's ad-supported, so there's a constant banner at the bottom and others throughout the app, but that also means it's free.

Google Voice

Google Voice is a great way to receive verification codes on Android. Google creates it and is an extension of your phone number. This means you need to have an existing number for this to work.

Once set up, verification codes can be delivered to the Voice app, much like your standard messaging app. Or, you can enable email alerts to deliver all your texts as emails.

textPlus

We like textPlus for a few reasons: You get unlimited calls and texts in the US and Canada, you can pick a US state to get your phone number from, and logging in is easy with your Google, Apple, Microsoft, or Yahoo account.

You get to pick the area code from the list of options, and then the phone number is chosen for you.

Every text thread can have its own background image, and you can send text, images, videos, voice, and GIFs.

TextFree

Text Free has been around since 2009. Like most apps listed here, this one is free because it's ad-supported, so you'll see persistent banner ads and pop-up ads as you use the app.

We like this one because it's simple. Creating an account is easy (if you use the Google option), and you can quickly erase verification code messages by swiping to the left.

The 'mark all messages as read' is a unique feature most texting apps don't have. It's super helpful when you have a bunch of verification code texts you no longer need.

You can choose the area code and then pick from a list of numbers. Calling is supported, too, but you only get 60 minutes of free call time.

TextMe Up

TextMe Up is another app that supports verification codes for Android. This one seems littered with more ads than the others on this list, which can be frustrating. Still, the app is smooth and does let you send and receive texts for free.

You can mute conversations, pin conversations to the top of the list, and buy another number if you want more than one (your first one is free). The settings let you change the app theme, create a signature, control notifications, disable calls, and create an app passcode.

There appears to be web access for reading texts from a computer, but it's only for premium subscribers.

Burner

True to its name is the Burner Android app, which provides burner numbers (up to three) you can use for verification codes and regular texting/calling, plus it has spam blocking. It's free for a week, after which you'll be put on a monthly or yearly subscription (check Burner's current prices).

We include this app because it's designed well with a clean, distraction-free, and ad-free interface. It's also great that one subscription covers three numbers, so you can claim two different numbers if you'd rather not send all verification codes to one of your burner numbers.

In the settings are options to enable Do Not Disturb mode and an app password. This app also supports true burner numbers, meaning they automatically delete after 30 days. These, however, are limited to 100 messages.

Hushed

Hushed is a paid texting app, although you can use a free trial to test it out. Once you start paying, you can pick from local numbers in over 300 area codes across the US, Canada, and the UK.

One unique feature this app has that the others in this list don't is the option to integrate it with Slack or Dropbox to save your texts. Another is that you can set up specific number expiry notifications, anywhere from 1 hour before it expires up to 72 hours.

You get unlimited texts and calls. You can buy up to three lines at once to have three separate numbers to receive verification codes.

Sideline

Sideline is another paid second number app for Android, so you pay to access a real phone number instead of seeing many ads like most apps.

This app supports texting and calling, so you can turn on VoIP calling and manage voicemail settings. The settings also let you auto-reply to texts, change the text tone, and mark all messages as read with just one tap.

A subscription is paid monthly, or you can buy your number for a whole year at a decent discount. There's a 7-day free trial before payment kicks in, so check out how much Sideline costs.

Phoner

Phoner supports calling and texting with phone numbers from over 20 countries. It's clear before you pick a number which ones support SMS so you can be sure that it'll work for verification codes.

You'll love the built-in number lookup function if you use Phoner for more than just verification codes. It can show the owner's home address, carrier information, email, relatives, and social media profiles.

Dingtone

Like most other apps, Dingtone gives you a real phone number based on the US city or area code you pick. However, unlike the above apps, this one works by having you earn free credits before you can send and receive texts.

Free credits can be earned by watching video ads and completing offers. When you first sign up, you'll get a handful of credits, but they will automatically expire unless you use them quickly enough.

Here's the kicker—it costs 750 credits to get a phone number, so you'll need to watch several ads and complete as many offers as possible to earn those credits. Only then can you access your number to receive verification codes.

Dingtone lets you edit many settings, like adding a password to the app, changing the chat background, adding a message signature, setting up voicemail, and call forwarding. There's also a section for usage stats to easily monitor how many texts you've sent and received.

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